Moviegoers looking for a sweet, regency romance, need look no further than Mr. Malcolm's List, directed by Emma Holly Jones, and based on the screenplay (and book) written by Suzanne Allain. The film stars a diverse and talented cast including Freida Pinto, Sope Dirisu, Zawe Ashton, Theo James, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Gemma Chan, Ashley Park, and Naoko Mori.
In this period piece, Julia Thistlewaite (Ashton) and Selina Dalton (Pinto) are a pair of young unmarried friends in 1800s England looking to get revenge on Mr. Jeremy Malcolm (Dirisu), an eligible and desirable bachelor who spurned Julia because she did not meet the expectations on his scandalous list of qualifications. To complicate matters, another gentleman caller comes in the form of the dashing Captain Ossory (James). Jealousy rears its ugly head on all fronts and suddenly the race is on to capture hearts and exact retribution. Will true love get in the way?
Immersed in the brightly colored, multicultural, and beautiful setting of the film, it is easy to root for a number of characters. Yes, even-the often infuriating-Julia. Dirisu does an excellent job making Mr. Malcolm smolder at Dwayne Johnson levels. He is earnest and quiet. Pinto is a delight and shines in her role. James (as Captain Ossory) easily wins over viewers' hearts. The audience even roots for John (played by Divian Ladwa), the quirky footman who can't keep a straight face as the main characters' antics seem to always go awry.
It isn't without its faults, however. Selina is meant to be a perfect bride and she does come off as sweet, intelligent, and kind. However, because she is so perfect, there is little to no character growth. She has no hurdle to overcome other than the inevitable backfire of the underhanded plot, which doesn't happen until the latter half of the movie. Neither is there for Malcolm. The audience is repeatedly told he is arrogant, but his actions show a kind, if not shielded, heart. The only growth happens with the more robust characters of Julia and Captain Ossory (a somewhat flippant and debonair love interest who surprises everyone with his charm).
If the audience were to really inspect Malcom's list, most of the items are reasonable: good conversationalist, kind, well-read, etc. What he has are high standards, which a lot of people have. It's just that most people don't write them down and literally check things off. Keep it classy, Malcolm.
For the romance connoisseur, it may be obvious within the first few minutes how the story will turn out. But for someone looking for an adorable romance film for a date, a girl's night, or if someone needs something sweet amidst the chaos of the real world, Mr. Malcolm's List is a fun and light escapist film that will fit the bill. Just as Malcolm should, audiences should adjust their expectations accordingly and go into the film with an open mind and an open heart.